News

News

Vote No at ABF

Teamsters United urges ABF Teamsters to Vote No on the ABF tentative deal and send our negotiators back to the table to get it right.

Hoffa and the Freight Division kept the details of their ABF deal secret for weeks. Now, we know why.

The Hoffa administration was buying time to prepare a sales job to push through a deal that is less what the membership deserves—and less than what our union can win.

ABF Teamsters are already networking online and in their shops and making plans to Vote No to send this deal back for improvement.

From jump street, the issues have been clear. The vacation week that was taken away in the last contract has been restored. But on every other key issue, Hoffa’s deal comes up short.

Wages

ABF Teamsters called for raises to make up for the $1.70 giveback in the last contract. But there’s no catch-up increases to be found. In fact, the wage increases of 30¢-35¢-40¢-45¢-50¢ will not even keep up with inflation.

Pension

Hoffa’s deal freezes the pension contributions from ABF for more than five years. This cynical maneuver by Hoffa will undermine and weaken our pension funds.

We need to be fighting to save every member’s pension. Instead, this deal will set up ABF Teamsters for pension cuts in New England, Upstate New York, Philadelphia and other areas. This alone justifies a No Vote.

Weaker Contract Enforcement

The proposed deal weakens contract enforcement by giving the company a separate ABF-only grievance panel.

Under this set-up, the company can deadlock any grievance it wants to because all of the employer-side grievance panel reps are from ABF! We need stronger contract enforcement, not a grievance procedure that the company can stonewall and derail.

Subcontracting

Under Hoffa’s deal, subcontracting through Purchased Transportation will continue. It doesn’t matter that the cap is reduced from six percent to five percent because the cap is unenforceable and the contract isn’t enforced!

Vote No

To try to push through a substandard deal, the company is offering members a $1,000 bonus. That’s less than a nickel an hour raise over the life of the contract. ABF Teamsters won’t be bought for a nickel.

The membership’s contract issues are reasonable and achievable.

If a majority of members Vote No, it will send our union back to the table with a mandate to get a better offer. That will only happen if we work together and spread the word. Talk to your fellow ABF Teamsters and pass on these contract bulletins.